PECULIARITIES AND EXTREMES OF DISPOSITION. 33 



sition, stop exciting coercive treatment, subject at once to 

 passive treatment. As soon as there is submission, work 

 slowly and quietly, and the difficulty you were by the pre- 

 vious treatment only intensifying, you will soon find to 

 disappear, and the animal become perfectly gentle, but 

 must not be whipped. [See cuts of illustrating natural 

 extremes of disposition.] 



Note. — I have had many illustrations of the wonderful resistaHce 

 that may be excited in horses of this disposition by treatment that will 

 heat the blood and rouse the temper, and showing the value of treatment 

 that is wholly passive in their management. A few of the most marked 

 cases I will refer to in tliis connection : An eight-year-old bay pony, by bad 

 treatment made to kick, resisted all efforts to break, and was an incor- 

 rigible reckless kicker; was entirely passive, but if touched around the 

 flanks or hind parts, would squeal and kick most desperately. As a 

 means of illustration, subjected to first and second methods of subjec- 

 tion. Quickly throwing would do no good, and as predicted, only 

 roused resistance. She yielded readily to the second method, submit- 

 ting to being touched around with a pole in any manner, and I pro- 

 ceeded at once to carry out control by restraint upon the mouth, and 

 drove her successfully, preventing her kicking. But as soon as she got 

 over the surprise and effect of this treatment, she resented all effort to 

 control i:er, kicking in the most desperate manner. I knew that while 

 irritated and excited she would resist all effort to subdue, and bought 

 her to make a satisfactory experiment. I subjected her the next day, 

 privately, to the same treatment in the most careful and thorough man- 

 ner, but all to no purpose. She proved incorrigible, the most despe- 

 rate animal I ever saw. 



I worked this mare with great care and thoroughness, as a matter of 

 trial, but all to no purpose. Never before did I see such reckless de- 

 termined resistance. I carried coercive treatment to its utmost limit, 

 and for the first time in all my experience, found a horse -that by sheer 

 pluck would resist it ; yet yielded readily to the milder and more flat- 

 tering course, which though working slow, made a radical reformation. 

 The whole aspect of her nature became changed as the blood became 

 cool, and ulitmately proved one of the most docile, manageable ponies 

 in the country. 



Seconjl> Case. — A four-year-old colt, a natural kicker ; would kick 

 any body or any thing. Had resisted all efforts to break her, and was 

 worthless ; was brought twenty miles for me to handle ; would kick 

 and balk, and was one of the worst I ever saw — an interesting case. — 

 She resisted the usual regular treatment, resisting all effort, compelling 

 finally, a resort to the slower and less exciting course, and as she be- 

 came cool grew out of all resistance, becoming a safe and gentle mare. 



Both of these cases resisted so determinedly in illustrating my regu- 

 lar treatment, that I purchased them to enable me to handle them in 

 private, with the results above stated. Have had many cases of this 

 temperament that were regarded as invincible, having resisted all 



a 



